nutrition

Salt has been valued highly for as long as mankind can remember, to the point in which people used to use it for trading with others around the globe. Salt was a significant factor as to why early humans settled … Continue reading →

Once you’ve made the decision to enter an marathon or endurance race of any kind, the same is true for all sports in general for that matter and that is don’t let all the hard work and effort be wasted … Continue reading →

Protein is a key component of a healthy diet and ensuring your daily meals include an ample amount should be a key focus if you’re looking to improve your health or levels of fitness. However, this can be made more … Continue reading →

A review of the effectiveness of a plant-based diet compared to a meat-eating diet on health, performance, and weight-loss. When considering a plant-based diet, what option do you have to consider: – Vegan, complete removal of all animal products … Continue reading →

Now that it’s January everybody wants to get back to the gym and start a new diet or exercise health kick of some description whether that’s a detox protocol or simply couch to 5k. For the average person in the … Continue reading →

Since the start of January, the media has been full of weight loss plans and exercise regimes. My gym, which was quiet over Christmas, was full to the brim on Monday and I struggled to park the car at 6.30am … Continue reading →

One of the things you will want to do is remain as healthy as possible. This can allow you to get more out of life and enjoy the good things it has to offer. Another reason to work towards the … Continue reading →

For those living with chronic health conditions, self-management is crucial for managing and controlling symptoms day to day. Protecting your own health is a responsibility that can require some help and guidance to ensure you pursue the right treatment for … Continue reading →

In theory, losing weight should be easy – eat fewer calories than you burn. But in practice most of us know that it’s really difficult to lose weight and requires a combination of the right food and portion size, with lots … Continue reading →

Yesterday, (3 January 2017), the Royal College of Surgeons, Faculty of Dental Surgery (FDS) issued a press release urging workers to cut the cake culture that seems to have become established in many offices up and down the country. The FDS … Continue reading →

During the month of May, people around the country have been doing their part to raise awareness and sharing their experiences for National Arthritis month. Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are the two most common forms of arthritis in the … Continue reading →

If you’ve decided to go down the low carb route to try and shift a few pounds then don’t despair. There are lots of tasty alternatives which you may not know about. Here are 6 of my favourite options, but … Continue reading →

We try to remain as fit and healthy as possible for a variety of reasons. It could be that we want to be around as long as possible to watch our loved ones grow and craft their own lives. It … Continue reading →

I love a good stuffed pepper! Peppers are a great source of nutrients such as vitamin C and fibre. This recipe uses couscous instead of rice (which you may have used in stuffed peppers previously). Couscous is so quick to prepare … Continue reading →

In July 2015, a report (by ‘SACN’) was released, giving new recommendations about the maximum amount of sugar we should eat, and also increasing the amount of fibre we eat. It re-classified the sugar we want to avoid as ‘free … Continue reading →

There’s a lot of talk about food in the media. Health experts are warning us of an imminent obesity epidemic, with numbers of Type 2 diabetes increasing rapidly. Food-related illnesses are beginning to put real pressure on the NHS. One of … Continue reading →

At talkhealth we like to keep up to date with what’s going on in the world of health so that we can keep you updated and keep the health conversation going. This week’s brought a number of high-profile health stories … Continue reading →

Our Love Affair With Sugar: Sweet Treat or Public Enemy Number One? Sugar is getting a lot of negative press of late. Books like David Gillespie’s “Sweet Poison” and Dr. Robert Lustig and John Yudkin’s “Pure, White, and Deadly” have … Continue reading →

As you know from my previous post, I was diagnosed with pre-diabetes recently. I really wondered initially how I would cope with drastically cutting down my sugar intake (here I’m referring to added sugar rather than sugar naturally found in … Continue reading →

Our lovely friends at the IBS Network have sent us a fantastic 2016 Calendar. And it’s full of delicious recipes, from Black Rice Salad to Meat Balls with Basil, and Mini Passion Fruit Pavlova to Halloween Cake. And if you … Continue reading →

It’s not often I share my personal health secrets with the world (!) but a couple of weeks ago, I went to see my Doctor about the fact that I had been feeling tired and run down, and had some … Continue reading →

It is always so nice to get good news stories, isn’t it? So, I was chuffed to bits to get an email from a proud gran who had been a subscriber to the Foods Matter magazine way back in 2002. At … Continue reading →

Last week’s blog was all about trans fats, and as promised, this post is about saturated fats. Now before I start, it’s important to point out that this post is not about demonising particular nutrients – there is a place … Continue reading →

When you look at popular media, there always seems to be a new food or nutrient being demonised… fats, carbohydrate, sugar, fruit – the list goes on. However, when it comes to fats, the feedback I’ve had is that the … Continue reading →

Sugar has been in the media a lot recently, and there are so many mixed messages. Just this week during the Great British Bake Off, we were informed that a cake containing honey or agave syrup as the sweetener was … Continue reading →

Black seed plant, also known as black cumin, or black caraway, has been used for numerous health problems and conditions. Here’s what it can do, what it might do for you, as well as side effects to be aware of … Continue reading →

We’re always striving to maintain a happy and healthy body and we all have different goals. Whether you’re aiming to lose weight or just increase your overall health then you’re going to need two things; a well-balanced nutritious diet … Continue reading →

Last year I was in the final year of my education journey, a third year university student with a healthy (yes really!) diet, but a seriously bad diet cola addiction! Most days I would be cracking open a can before … Continue reading →

During the warmer months we are inundated with refreshing choices such as cooling fruit, ice lollies, and freezing cold drinks. However most of these options are packed with sugar, which in excess can cause tooth erosion and decay. We’ve spoken … Continue reading →

Earlier this week on my Facebook page, I asked for suggestions of what topics people wanted covering in my blog. As this was a popular choice, I thought I’d start with this. As a mum of three children myself, I … Continue reading →

We’re constantly being told what foods are bad for us – to cut back on sugar and eat more fruit; eat more eggs for protein or eat fewer eggs to prevent high cholesterol. With so much conflicting information it leaves … Continue reading →

Fluid: How much and what counts? When it comes to fluid, there are many conflicting messages, as with other nutritional messages. How much should I drink? Do tea and coffee count? What about alcohol? How much? – If you look … Continue reading →

Sense About Science is a scientific charity whose remit is to inform the public and enable them to ‘make sense’ of scientific and medical discussions. A worthy aim in which they are usually moderately successful. However, they have just tackled allergy … Continue reading →

There was been a huge outcry on social media and elsewhere recently over gluten contamination that occurred in the Genius factory. It triggered a whole slew of products recalls not only of Genius products but of supermarket freefrom lines … Continue reading →

My kids always want a quick snack when they get home from school, and as the weather is getting hotter, I thought what better treat than homemade ice lollies made from fresh fruit and yoghurt? These lollies have no added … Continue reading →

Many of us are much more aware of our need for good nutrition than ever before – but even more people are confused and bewildered by the contradicting advice, and ever-emerging string of ‘super foods’ we are advised to include … Continue reading →

When you hear the word ‘superfood’, foods like blueberries, goji berries and pomegranate may spring to mind. Various health claims exist around these so-called superfoods in the media, for example that acai berries have anti-ageing properties, or garlic lowers blood … Continue reading →

Here at talkhealth HQ, we’re beating the mid-week blues with a delicious breakfast of homemade fresh bread and jam. This lovely treat is all thanks to Catriona (and her shiny new breadmaker). When Catriona said she had some treats for us … Continue reading →

Well, to be honest, it is not nuts that are the problem, it is the confusion arising from the laudable efforts of regulators and manufacturers to improve allergen labelling for the benefit of allergic consumers. But, nuts being at the … Continue reading →

For a few weeks I have been trying to get back on the wagon and lose my baby weight that I had put on throughout my pregnancy with my second son James. Now, I confess that my head was not in … Continue reading →

Firstly, I need to apologise for not posting in a while… My reason for this is that I’ve been studying hard for a course. I am doing a Postgraduate Certificate in Applied Sports Nutrition at St Mary’s University, and I’m … Continue reading →

I didn’t gain weight accidentally. I didnt gain weight because I simply couldn’t resist the chocolate or couln’t be bothered to exercise. I didn’t gain weight by having my four children. It didn’t creep up on me. I gained weight … Continue reading →

Now that the Christmas indulgence is over, and you’ve seen in the New Year, you may be thinking of shaping up – losing weight and getting fitter. May I encourage you to think of the ‘New You’ as a longer term … Continue reading →

When I started writing about my weight loss journey I imagined myself sitting at my laptop being witty and wise and hopefully inspirational. Whats happened is Ive opened a can of worms where my feelings about my metamorphasis have bubbled … Continue reading →

Ive traveled the country chatting to many different groups about my weight loss journey and the various issues surrounding weight. At the end there is a Q&A session and there are two questions that ALWAYS pop up. I’ve got to … Continue reading →

It’s no mystery that Brits love their crisps… but have you own tried making your own crisps from fruits and vegetables? If you love the crunchiness of crisps, but not the unhealthy factor, these are certainly worth a try. They’re very easy to make – … Continue reading →